The long Hokkaido winter is finally over with the snow melting and the spring season beginning in earnest. Every spring Rusutsu Resort staff are busy preparing for the Golden Week Holidays with the popular amusement park set to re-open. 

In this blog we will explain some of the key scientific principles behind the major attractions and rides to help guests understand the principles of the how the rides work.

No.1 ｜Why don’t you fall out when upside down on the Loop the loop Ride?

The loop the loop ride is located in the center of the amusement park. It is a traditional roller coaster which performs one huge high-speed loop. When the cars are in the loop, they are completely upside down. Have you ever wondered how riders or cars don’t fall off the track? The reason is due to centrifugal forces. In the loop as the speed increases, the centrifugal forces also increase sticking the car and rides to the outside of the loop. This same principle can be seen when a bucket of water is spun upside down quickly, the water will not fall out due to the same forces.

No.2｜When riding the space shot ride, which is scariest, ascending or descending?

The 60-meter-high “Space Shot,” ride is a tower-style attraction which ascends and descends at a maximum speed of 65 km/h. As you soar to the top after the nerve-racking countdown of 3.2.1, you feel a pressure of up to 4.9 G’s which pushes you downwards into the seat. Riders will feel this sensation throughout their body.

During the descent from the highest point of 60 meters, an upward force of- 1G is applied. Normally, this force is exerted downwards due to gravity, so the thrill is even greater when the force is exerted upward, which the body is not accustomed to. The feeling of falling can create the sensation of butterflies in your stomach. We feel most people will agree that the feeling of falling is the more frightening sensation.

No.3｜Why is it more challenging to drive around tight turns?

When driving a go-kart attraction, the most fun yet challenging part is always the corners. If maintaining the same speed, tight turns with a small radius can be tricky. The tighter the turn, the more centrifugal force is applied (lateral G force) which pushes the go-kart to the outside of the turn and can cause the go-kart to crash or spin at high speeds. It is recommended to slow down as approaching the turn before increasing the speed during the turn for a speedy exit. The driver who is most skilled in the turns will surely win the race. Give this a try when enjoying the Rusutsu go-kart attraction.

Go！Rusutsu Amusement Park

We hope this information helped to explain how some of the attractions work and look forward to welcoming all guests to the Rusutsu Resort amusement park.